


Water and Flame

by Marta



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003), Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works
Genre: Angst, Gen, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-05-31
Updated: 2004-05-31
Packaged: 2017-10-17 03:36:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 82
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/172495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marta/pseuds/Marta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Denethor ponders the future of the West after a bout with the palantir.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Water and Flame

Some say the West will end with water,  
Some say in flame.  
And if dear Atalante's slaughter  
Should foretell, I hold with water.  
For as the wave from furthest West  
Ascended Meneltarma's height,  
Gift once possessed  
Proved then our plight.

But fate denies an end so grand  
To Western sons;  
Orodruin's ash expands  
And e'er we start, the East has won.  
For I have seen it in my stone:  
The burning plains, the Cruelest Eye.  
We stand alone;  
The West shall die.

**Author's Note:**

> [1] This poem is written in the style of Robert Frost's poem "Fire and Ice".  
> [2] ATALANTE: Alternate name for Numenor.  
> [3] MENELTARMA: mountain on Numenor  
> [4] GIFT: A reference both to Numenor itself (a gift of the Valar to the Men who had fought against Sauron) and to death (which was originally a gift of Iluvatar to all Men).  
> [5] ORODRUIN: Mount Doom


End file.
